Ondřej Častvaj’s Post

Let’s give a big round of applause to all the incredible entrepreneurs out there! 🎉👏 Today, on Entrepreneur’s Day, we celebrate your passion, innovation, and resilience. The day also showcases Finland’s commitment to nurturing startups, with Helsinki emerging as a key hub for international founders. 🌍 At Maria 01, Nordics’ leading startup hub, innovation knows no borders. With 38% of our startups boasting international founders, we’re witnessing how diversity fuels creativity and drives business success. 🌱 Our community is a melting pot of over 42 nationalities, each bringing unique perspectives that spark new ideas and bold solutions. 💡 As these global entrepreneurs expand into new markets, they’re not just growing their businesses—they’re shaping the future of Finland’s economy. Why do entrepreneurs from around the world choose Finland, especially Helsinki? The country offers a supportive startup ecosystem with networking and funding opportunities, such as Business Finland grants as well as an extensive investor network. At Maria 01, we don’t just celebrate diversity; we believe it’s essential for innovation. 🚀 Want to learn more about the global spirit of Maria 01? Read our latest blog post, link in the comments! 👇 #EntrepreneursDay #Maria01 #StartupHub #InternationalFounders #Entrepreneurship

Top 10 Reasons to Get Your Startup Groove On at the EU Summit in Malta! May 9️⃣ & 🔟 For a FREE interview in Metropolitan follow me on TikTok and Instagram! 👉🏿👉🏽@Victor.Horcasitas 1. **#Networking Extravaganza is**: Rub shoulders with top-notch entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from across Europe. Who knows? Your next business partner or investor could be sipping espresso right beside you. ☕️ 2. **Malta Magic**: Bask in the Mediterranean charm of Malta while discussing the next big thing in startups. It's not just business; it's business with a view! 🏝️ 3. **#Pitch Perfect**: Got a killer idea? Pitch it to a crowd of eager listeners and watch your startup dreams take flight. Just remember: practice those elevator pitches! 🚀 4. **Learning Galore**: Dive deep into workshops, panels, and talks led by industry experts. It's like a crash course in startup #success, minus the boring textbooks. 📚 5. **Sun, Sea, and Startup**: Why settle for boardrooms when you can brainstorm on the beach? Let the waves inspire your next big breakthrough. 🌊 6. **#Foodie Paradise**: Indulge in delicious Maltese cuisine between sessions. Because let's face it, great ideas are fueled by great food. 🍲 7. **Startup Swag**: Score some seriously cool swag from sponsors and exhibitors. Who says business events can't be fashionable? 💼 8. **Epic Parties**: Work hard, party harder! Network over cocktails and dance the night away at exclusive startup soirées. 🎉 9. **Globetrotter Vibes**: Experience the thrill of traveling for work (or is it play?) as you jet-set to beautiful Malta for the summit. ✈️ 10. **Memories for a Lifetime**: Forge friendships, make deals, and create memories that'll last long after the summit ends. Because in the world of startups, connections are everything. 🔗 — Barcelona Metropolitan is looking forward to seeing the EU’s leading #entrepreneurs and #startups Kudos to the team at EU-Startups and our hosts in Malta! Anastasiia Ponomareva Thomas Ohr Ana Metz Marcin Lewandowski

𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹! Do you want to bring your innovative products and services to the world? The Hamburg Next Level initiative, run by the Handelskammer Hamburg in partnership with the Start2 Group, helps startups and KMU's expand internationally. The programme consists of three phases, the application deadline for the first phase is 3 December. Join Phase 1 "Prepare" on December 10 and 12,  and learn essential internationalization topics, explore the global market, and plan your next steps. Why Participate? • Understand international markets • Tailored action recommendations • Identify growth-aligned target markets • Connect with other ambitious startups    Take your next step onto the international stage - all with expert mentoring and at no cost! More info can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eeGK2A7t For any questions, feel free to reach out to Nils Himmelreich and Jenny Kersten from Handelskammer Hamburg. #HamburgNextLevel #StartupExpansion #GoGlobal #InternationalGrowth #HamburgStartups

🇨🇿 Today marks the beginning of #CzechStartupWeek24 that will facilitate insightful discussions, panels, and networking opportunities for the startup ecosystem in Prague. Focusing on the #CEE startup landscape, Arthur Jordão will participate in two key side events: 📅 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙯𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩: Arthur will join a panel dedicated to building effective startup ecosystems, alongside experts such as Marketa Prenosilova, Tomasz Snażyk, and Vit Horky. This panel will explore the diverse ecosystems across the #EU, with a particular emphasis on #Czechia and its comparison with #Poland. As both countries are members of ESNA, Arthur will provide valuable insights into the Alliance’s critical role within the EU startup landscape, discussing its objectives and future direction. 📅 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙥 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚 – 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙀𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙘 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙩𝙝 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. ESNA will deliver the keynote opening address at Czech Founders' event.This session will address vital questions for the ecosystem, including: How can startups serve as engines of economic growth? How can states become champions of innovation rather than obstacles? What strategies can states employ to attract capital and talent in order to create a global startup landscape? How can we shift perceptions to ensure that startups are not viewed merely as hype? These questions are of great importance to policymakers and ecosystem builders alike. For more information and to register for key events during Czech Startup Week, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eP9NePNq #UniteforEntrepreneurship #StartupEcosystem 

🤔 How to make a start-up contest profitable? I spent 2 days in Brussels for a European PropTech Association startup competition. TBH, I hesitated a lot when Dirk Paelinck invited me to pitch Thermosphr.  In a start-up, your time is the only controllable metric.  It's a marathon and you must be laser focused.  Two days wasted on vanity is two days wasted on business development. 🍟 Even if the Belgian fries are excellent :/ Nevertheless, I managed to make the most of it for 3 reasons: 1️⃣ I met some very clever competitors for energy efficiency in commercial buildings.  I strongly believe having such fierce competition is an excellent thing, given the magnitude of our challenge ahead!  It was an opportunity to discuss common challenges facing our sector! Kudos Ahmet Köse Donatas Karčiauskas and Patrik Johansson 2️⃣ The wild ambition of some founders reminds me that everything is possible.  Some players skip the « small European countries » and directly target the world's major commercial property markets (North America, the Middle East and South-East Asia).  That makes me want to aim bigger and further afield. Kudos Chris Van de Voorde & Maciej (Matthew) Markowski José P. & Ramzi Bouzerda 3️⃣ Different cultures = more international mindset.  The easiest way to build a world champion is to be international from the start.  In Europe, we can see our culture differences as an opportunity. For example, mixing southern Europeans with Northern Europeans from the start could ensure you « take the most of » every cultural mindsets. cc Ana Luisa Vaz for Portugal + Dutch mariage! And you? Do you participate to startup contests? Thanks to the jury & sponsors that supported this event! cc Grigor Hadjiev Julien Daclin Martinas Eitmonas Théo Galula #climatechange #energy #startup #Europe #realestate

In sync with the rhythm of Latitude 59, embrace yourself for another thrilling announcement! 🚀 e-Residency offers an amazing opportunity for e-Resident founders with an Ecosystem Study on May 22nd! What awaits you: 🌟 An exclusive peek into how e-Residents are shaping the future of business in this innovative city. 🤝 Connect with fellow founders and e-Residents, fostering invaluable collaborations. 🏙️ Explore the forefront of innovation by visiting cutting-edge companies. 💡 Gain priceless insights from the entrepreneurial journeys of e-resident founders. 🌐 Get acquainted with key players from our vibrant ecosystem: E-Estonia Briefing Center, Startup Wise Guys, Tenity Nordics, Elevator Startups, Practica Capital, Lift99, and more! Who are they seeking? 🚀 E-resident startup founders (at least in the MVP stage). 🏢 Startup founders based in Estonia. 🌍 Foreign-based founders seriously contemplating Estonia as their incorporation destination. Spaces are limited, so secure your spot early via: https://shorturl.at/fhuwy. See you in Tallinn! 🇪🇪 #EstonianStartup #StartupJourney #unicount #eresidency

Coming up this Tuesday, we'll be talking at the Truesday event about how the number of founders affects the dilution of each founder into equity. A common question is whether it's better to be a solo founder or at least two. The truth is that from a VC perspective, having only one founder is always risky. Since we have all the saints here, you never know what can happen 😊. That's not to say that finding that skill set in one person to make a founder strong either technically or in sales is just hard. The other aspect that isn't talked about as much is the dilution at the employee level afterwards. If you look at the median split of the fully diluted equity of a startup with two founders, the first one holds 51% and the second one holds 45% before outside investors come in. The question then is where are the remaining 4%? The truth is that this tends to be the share that is typically reserved for the first 5 employees. Why am I writing about this in the context of the number of founders? It's because the statistics say that if the founder is alone, it's those first few employees that are given a far greater share of the equity than if there are more founders. It's even common in such startups for some employees to get a future right to more than 5%, sometimes more like 10%. But then the question is rather whether we are really talking about employees or co-founders. What do you think about that? See you on Tuesday in Unicorner 🦄powered by Accace Slovakia #business #startups #Accace #AceON

Wingle lands in South Summit! As proud members of the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem, we had to attend. Let's be honest: we had doubts on whether "it was worth it" for us at this early stage. Long story short: definitely! Overall, it's all about getting the Wingle name out there. To get Wingle to resonate with corporates, investors and the wider community. About building leads not only for the short term, but mainly for the mid and long term. And having said this... lets connect if you're around!

🌞 Welcome back from your summer break! 🌞 Now that you’re recharged, it’s time to put your startup in the spotlight and get the recognition it deserves. 🚀 Did you know that over 15,000 startups are founded across Europe each year, but, according to Dealroom and McKinsey only 8% make it to Series B? If your startup is one of the rising stars on its way to the top, we want to hear from you! We’re searching for the top 100 European startups for The Europas 100 2024, the 16th annual event celebrating Europe’s most exciting startups, founded by TechCrunch Editor-at-Large Mike Butcher ✍️ Think your startup has what it takes to make the list? Apply now and prove it to our judges’ panel made up of over 30+ of Europe’s most successful VCs. They’ve spotted the likes of Spotify, UiPath, Wise and Monzo when they were in their earliest days. If you make The Europas 100, you’ll be invited to our celebration in Lisbon, Portugal on 11 November 2024, just before Web Summit kicks off! The day includes: A half-day conference covering the hottest topics in tech This includes a panel discussion moderated by Mike Butcher with leading VCs on what founders need to know about fundraising today A networking evening at La Distillerie, where you can meet investors, fellow founders, and journalists in a relaxed setting Apply now and join the ranks of Europe’s best startups! #TheEuropas #TechInnovation #VentureCapital #StartupSuccess #Entrepreneurship 🌐✨

We took part in #RiseEurope, the European network of startup ecosystem builders, when stakeholders from across Europe met to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Europe’s start-up ecosystem! Some of the key takeaways were: 🎓 The need for stronger entrepreneurship education in European higher education. 🪢 The importance of more cohesive ties between start-ups, corporates, investors, and other key players in the ecosystem. 🦸 The need for broader investment horizons to support the growth of European tech champions. Rise Europe is committed to driving this change by incentivizing innovation, fostering connections, and building strong networks to create a more vibrant and competitive European tech landscape. Organized by #RiseEurope in cooperation with the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU with Eric Beißwenger, the German Startups Association and Gründerland Bayern with Christoph Pfaff. #DTUInnovation #entrepreneurship #innovation #startups #tech